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The seasonal game drop for the block-building phenomenon has arrived — and it features the initial fresh armament added to the game since the mace made its debut. The javelin is now available and it has the potential to change how you play Minecraft, especially if you enjoy mayhem.

An Armament Designed for Chaotic Rides

The Mounts of Mayhem update also introduces several new features and enhancements centered around riding animals in the game. That driving concept made the spear the natural choice for this update, as the development team had long felt it was the moment to introduce a fresh combat tool.

"From the outset, we understood that we wanted a fresh armament that would increase combat distance, and we designed it specifically for fighting from atop a creature," stated a senior product manager. "We prototyped a number of concepts, but the spear was the one that both played wonderfully when we ran our trials and also looked good for the use case."

If you're wondering whether mounted combat means you can tilt at your friends on horseback, the answer is a definite affirmative. In fact, there's even an attack ideally crafted for it.

"Mounted lance combat] is a primary functions for the spear, and it's a blast," the lead adds. "The spear has a pair of offensive moves: You have the jab attack, where you just stab your enemy. But you also have a charge attack where you lower your spear and inflict more damage [with] the more speed and velocity you have. So [it’s] ideal for mounted duels."

Sky-High Chaos and Underwater Adventures

The chaotic fun doesn't have to stop there, though. If you're deep enough into the game that you've visited The End, the developers have an delightfully absurd idea. "If you are in the end-game, [spears are] excellent for strapping on the elytra and going out and unleashing absolute pandemonium," she teases.

In other words: Jousting in the clouds is now a reality, and it deserves to be an Olympic sport without delay.

Another major addition in this latest drop is the Nautilus. This underwater creature, which is modeled after the seashells we've all been collecting for years, can be tamed and mounted for deep-sea journeys. Not only will it move you through the water faster than swimming, it'll also maintain your air supply, so there's no requirement to come up for air for fresh air.

The remaining new features are mostly things that want to kill you, as is the tradition of Minecraft. Unsurprisingly, there's also a rotting sea creature spawning in the water, frequently with a Drowned on its back. If you are able to defeat the Drowned, though, you can claim the undead mount — or the standard version, for that matter — with a puffer fish.

"We've long considered this issue periodically, and again, like with the spear and [adding] more mounts, it appeared to be the ideal opportunity to also introduce something for aquatic environments," the developer explains. "For the Nautilus specifically, we had a few different ideas for sea mounts that we wanted to try out, but the Nautilus initial artwork looked compelling, and we have the link to the Nautilus shell that was already in the game."

She also points out that there are actually a pair of variants of undead nautilus: standard and coral-infested undead mount. "[The variants] provide diversity to what you encounter underwater."

Parched Perils & Overdue Enhancements

Further inclusions include the Parched, biome-specific undead archers that can withstand the sun, which means there's no getting away from them if you find yourself in that environment. Sometimes you'll see them on zombified camels, another new mob. These passive, zombified camels have an notable look that sees their ribs poking out. The same goes for zombie horses, who have a analogous rib-popping design and can sometimes be spawned in the darkness with a spear-carrying undead rider on their back.

The remaining updates on the drop's list are smaller gameplay updates, including some much-anticipated adjustments to equestrian travel. Now, you can ford bodies of water while atop a horse. Additionally, high-tier barding is now craftable at the workbench, so you can provide your steed with the top-tier safeguarding it is worthy of.

A Fittingly Chaotic Finale

In summary, the year-end release of the year is a solid offering. The spear alone — and the mayhem it enables — would have constituted a significant enhancement. Throw in the Nautilus, and more things seeking your end, and Minecraft's definitely getting a little more dangerous.

The Mayhem Mounts content drop is live for all major editions of Minecraft.